Friday, September 18, 2009

Chris Doherty for Governor

pa2010 is reporting that Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty is running for Governor of Pennsylvania. He has been mentioned by the great mentioners (including me) for many other offices including Congress and Lt. Governor. He will cruise to reelection to Mayor of Scranton as both the Democratic and Republican nominees and will use this race to raise money for the next campaign.

A few weeks ago Doherty put out a letter saying he was pro-choice which signaled he was looking at a run for another office. The abortion hotheads reacted predictably.


Docs Letter:

I’ve been mayor of Scranton for the past eight years, but outside of northeast Pennsylvania, people are still just getting to know me.
So for the last several weeks I’ve been traveling around the state, talking to people about the challenges we face and how we can work together to help create more jobs, grow our economy, and get Pennsylvania working again.
One question I get a lot is about my position on a woman’s right to choose. People look at me and they see a guy from Scranton who was one of 11 kids, a father of six and an active member of his church. They put those pieces together and they’re surprised when I tell them, I’m pro-choice.
I support a woman’s right to choose because, in my view, this is an extremely private, personal matter and every woman should have the right to decide for herself, with the input of her family, her doctor, and her faith. It is not an issue where government should decide. It is a private, personal choice.
Sometimes I get hypothetical questions about how I’d react to what the Supreme Court may or may not do or to a bill that doesn’t exist. To those questions I can only say that my position won’t change. I won’t support a bill that takes away a woman’s right to make her own decision.
Like any candidate, I’ve had occasion to fill out questionnaires on the subject. Such questionnaires are often worded in ways that fail to accurately reflect my position. The fact is, I support a woman’s right to choose. At the same time, I respect the rights of others to disagree, in some cases very passionately.
The right to passionately and intelligently advocate for your beliefs is one of the principles on which our country was founded and, as mayor, I have issued a proclamation acknowledging those who exercise that right on the other side of this issue. Supporting a woman’s right to choose while respecting the rights of others to disagree are not mutually exclusive positions. In fact, a shared bond of respect on this and most issues would serve us well as we work toward a common future.
And that common future will most likely be defined by the choices we make on Pennsylvania’s economy over the next several years, not by social issues. During the last eight years in Scranton, we’ve helped create thousands of new jobs and generate $500 million in new investment. We’ve enjoyed tremendous success by keeping our government focused on the things it can do best: creating jobs, growing the economy, and keeping our communities safe.
Pennsylvania’s next governor will face significant challenges and he or she would do well to keep the Pennsylvania government focused on the things it can do best—get Pennsylvanians working again and put the state’s economy back on the right track.


This is good news for the Corey O'Brien for Congress campaign. I still expect another Lackawanna County Democrat to get into the 2010 primary to split the anti-Kanjo vote.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, state Auditor General Jack Wagner and Philadelphia payday loanshark Tom Knox are all expected to seek the Democratic nomination, former Senate candidate Joe Hoeffel is also considering the race.

The "if "went out of the speculation today when I got this email:

CHRIS DOHERTY ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN TEAM AS HE PREPARES FOR 2010 PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR'S RACE

Scranton, PA - Today Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty unveiled his campaign team as he prepares to runfor governor in 2010. The Doherty team is comprised of seasoned Pennsylvania and Washington, DCcampaign veterans, each with a proven track record of winning big elections."This is a winning team," declared Doherty. "They've elected presidents, governors, senators, and Members of Congress. They know Pennsylvania and they know what it takes to get the job done here.I want to put Pennsylvanians back to work and this is the campaign team that will help me do it."The Doherty campaign team includes:Corey Platt, Campaign Manager. Corey comes to the Doherty Team after two cycles in Missouri. In2008 he managed Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes's race in MO-06 and in 2006 he was the political director for the Missouri Democratic Party where he helped elect Claire McCaskill to the United States Senate. He has worked for numerous other campaigns and organizations in California, Arizona,and the Midwest.Julian Mulvey and Tad Devine, Media. Devine Mulvey is a strategic communications firm with extensive experience helping clients win campaigns in the U.S. and around the world. Their approach is centered on crafting clear messages, producing compelling media, and executing a disciplinedc ommunications strategy. They have helped elect dozens of statewide candidates and crafted the media strategy that helped elect Chris Carney (PA-10) to Congress in 2006, Bob Casey, Jr auditor general in 1996 and 2000, and Lynne Abraham district attorney in 1997 and 2001. Tad Devine served as a senior advisor and strategist to Senator John Kerry's campaign for president in 2004 and to Vice President Al Gore's campaign for president in 2000.Margie Omero, Polling. Margie Omero is President and founder of Momentum Analysis, a public opinion research firm. Omero's clients include the DNC, the DCCC, labor unions, and campaigns around the country from City Council to US Senate. She worked on both the campaigns of Congressman Chris Carney (PA-10) and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-3). Omero is a blogger at pollster.com, and was named one of "50 Politicos To Watch" by The Politico online journal.Steve Stenberg, Mail. A partner at the Strategy Group, Steve combines years of campaign experience with localized direct mail strategies to help Democrats win in both blue and red states. In 2008,Steve produced direct mail for the Obama for America campaign while also serving as a lead consultant to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's independent expenditure efforts.Mark Nevins, Communications. Based in Philadelphia, Mark is a founding partner of the Dover Group,a full-service campaign strategy firm. Mark has extensive experience in Pennsylvania politics having served as communications director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 Pennsylvania primary campaign,as Pennsylvania communications director for Kerry/Edwards 2004, and as an advisor to congressional candidates all over the state. The Dover Group is also assisting the Doherty campaign with its fundraising and finance programs.

8 comments:

The Scranton Guardian said...

If Doherty does run, it should be interesting to see how the Denaples' political contributions play in the statewide media.

Professor Milburn Cleaver, OPA said...

Mr. Doherty's campaign is a waste of time. Given the fact that Scranton in its present state can be described as Hiroshima of the Northeast, even the Democratic party is not naive enough to take him seriously for any statewide office, especially Governor. The next Chief Executive of our Commonwealth will be a Republican who is fiscally conservative. As has been proven in the last several months, the days of governmental giveaways on the statewide level are not numbered, but over. Our Commonwealth's citizens need to stop whining about a lack of benefits from Big Daddy Rendell and begin depending on the strength of their own character. The reason for this entire budgetary fiasco is over spending on silly giveaway programs, bottom line. In short, students, the only way to cure a fiscal crisis is to tighten our belts, live within our means, (a TV for example, whether it be a 12 inch black and white or a 60 inch plasma, shows the same programs), and we will get along fine. OF course, this also applies nationally. I do not want to get into a prolonged lecture on the healthcare subject, but I will add my two cents. Lazy Americans, whose idea of exercise is excessive use of their fingers to change their TV channels with their remote control, who eat greasy foods, excessively smoke cigarettes or pot, and on and on are going to get sick. Why should the rest of us have to pay for their irresponsibility??? I have been very busy lately with my teaching (each year's new crop of slacker students makes me think twice about the future of America) but I will attempt to comment more often on future postings. Thank you!! Class dismissed!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Prof, try readidng a book and let the teaching to others not wearing blinders. You probably teach in the public system and don't recognize your pay check as being taxpayer money. Those on the take often times don't notice the giver. Try and hold off on the urge for future lessons and spend more time in the JOHN clearing your head.

Anonymous said...

O'Brien running against Kanjorski? You've got to be kidding me. The deal was made last year for Mr K to step aside for OB and that's why Lackawanna County pulled Kanjo out of the rock pile. Color Kanjo gone and then ask yourself why in the name of all that is holy would we want O'B to represent us in Washington? Look at his performance with the stadium and it is easy to see why we don't need him in Washington. Next?

Don Williams said...

G- I think the anonymous poster that takes shots at everyone should be banned from future commentary. Can you track his/her IP address? Anonymity is the realm of the spineless.

Anonymous said...

RE: DON WILLIAMS: Everyone who posts on this blog IS anonymous! This includes the blog owner Gort--who actually knows his real name??? If your real name is Don WIlliams that is your right to post under it; but 99 percent of us us psueudonyms. Wake up.

Big Dan said...

Gortram? I don't know, I'm just guessin'...

Gorty? Gortrand? Gortelicious?

Anonymous said...

a couple of things,Doherty barely won against a guy who didnt campaign last time on a write in.If you cant win big in your own town its time to take a seat.He has continiously lied to a lot of people who gave money,campaigned and supported him for a long time he threw them under the bus.THE WORD IS OUT HE IS NOT TRUST WORTHY! He is not a lawyer which most of the past govs were.He is also so full of himself.He forgets who helped him.